Top White House Biodefense Official to Address Bipartisan Panel

Special Assistant to the President Tim Morrison among those speaking atmeeting on Biodefense Indicators

WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 12, 2018) - The Trump Administration recently released a National Biodefense Strategy to better defend the United States against myriad biological threats. The development and implementation of a comprehensive national biodefense strategy were among the top recommendations made by the bipartisan Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense in 2015. This Wednesday, November 14, the Panel will convene at the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C. to gain a better understanding of how far the Executive Branch has come in implementing its National Blueprint for Biodefense.

The Panel is pleased to welcome Tim Morrison, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Biodefense, National Security Council. Special Assistant Morrison headlines an impressive group of experts who will address illustrative action items among those the Panel felt the federal government could complete in the three years since they released the Blueprint.

The meeting is set to begin at 10:30 a.m. The complete agenda can be found here. Your coverage is welcome. Media should RSVP to either attend the event or watch a live stream by contacting

The Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense was established in 2014 to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the state of U.S. biodefense efforts, and to issue recommendations to foster change. The Panel's 2015 report, A National Blueprint for Biodefense: Leadership and Major Reform Needed to Optimize Efforts, identified capability gaps and recommended changes to U.S. policy and law to strengthen national biodefense while optimizing resource investments. In September 2018, the White House released a National Biodefense Strategy, a top recommendation from the Blueprint. The Panel continues to assess biodefense challenges and to urge reform. Former Senator Joe Lieberman and former Governor Tom Ridge co-chair the Panel, and are joined by former Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala, former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, former Representative Jim Greenwood, and former Homeland Security Advisor Ken Wainstein. Hudson Institute is the Panel's fiscal sponsor.